Communications emergency declared.

Attributes
ACN	279252
Time
Date	199407
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : kok
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : eoff
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	279252
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

After takeoff from egkk, in IMC and on a busy morning, we experienced a yaw damper failure which drove the rudder full right. We cleared that up by turning off the yaw damper. Meanwhile, we are directed to contact maastrecht control. I am unable to get through and they advise that we have a stuck microphone. We checked the mikes, turned off all the radios in turn, then disconnected every microphone in the cockpit. By now it is clear that we have a communication failure and are squawking 7700 then 7600. We are considering HF when the flight engineer, who had been removing audio control panels, finds the captain's panel is the problem. During all of this, the first officer left our assigned altitude of FL290 for FL294 briefly. He, of course, was hard flying because of the yaw damper problem and was trying to help with the communication problem. It is imperative that the PF not be distracted, especially during a crisis.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMS EMER DECLARED.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM EGKK, IN IMC AND ON A BUSY MORNING, WE EXPERIENCED A YAW DAMPER FAILURE WHICH DROVE THE RUDDER FULL R. WE CLRED THAT UP BY TURNING OFF THE YAW DAMPER. MEANWHILE, WE ARE DIRECTED TO CONTACT MAASTRECHT CTL. I AM UNABLE TO GET THROUGH AND THEY ADVISE THAT WE HAVE A STUCK MIKE. WE CHKED THE MIKES, TURNED OFF ALL THE RADIOS IN TURN, THEN DISCONNECTED EVERY MIKE IN THE COCKPIT. BY NOW IT IS CLR THAT WE HAVE A COM FAILURE AND ARE SQUAWKING 7700 THEN 7600. WE ARE CONSIDERING HF WHEN THE FE, WHO HAD BEEN REMOVING AUDIO CTL PANELS, FINDS THE CAPT'S PANEL IS THE PROB. DURING ALL OF THIS, THE FO LEFT OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF FL290 FOR FL294 BRIEFLY. HE, OF COURSE, WAS HARD FLYING BECAUSE OF THE YAW DAMPER PROB AND WAS TRYING TO HELP WITH THE COM PROB. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE PF NOT BE DISTRACTED, ESPECIALLY DURING A CRISIS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.